Licking now instead of butting head

[Sargeant_C]

So I am now noticing a new trick Sarge learned. He will come up and lick your hand to be petted. He used to come up and shove his head and sort of push you. We then ignored that or would say Knock it off and then command something sit down whatever then pet.

So is licking the same thing just mellower and why lick? We do ask him for kisses sometimes and show him extra love at this time.. a major petting. Did we train him for this?

I will admit that I much rather have him lick my hand then butt me because he can bowl me over if I am not watching.

[scooterjohansen]

He has found the pot at the end of the rainbow. Human perspiration, salt! A good dog will lick a not so good dog will jump up and try to lick. Just my thoughts.

[Bruce Lanthier]

Perhaps it was self rewarding behavior. He licked for the salt, as scooter says, and then got a good head scratch. Being a smart fellow he quickly figured that a lick got the petting.

[gomer9855]

We call Frau 'The Tongue'. She has always been and will always be a licker. I think we inadvertantly trained her for this . Teaching her not to bite as a pup she would appologize by licking us, and we let her becuase it was better than biting. Now she licks everything, all the time. You tell her 'don't lick!' and she sits there licking the air. Faust is well on her way to becoming a licker too. Yay!

[Sargeant_C]

I would agree with you normally but I do not think it is the salt thing. It is a small lick and normally only one or two and then an automatic sit. When he butted his head into us the main command we gave him was sit. I dunno strange pets..

[Berner1]

Mine has been a licker since 10 wks. and still at 6 mos. hasn't stopped.

[jazzie23]

Gomer, same thing here with Jazmin. She is now a licker and I too think I trained her to lick. My rule is no teeth on skin, so she licks and licks some more. But like you said I'd rather have her lick than bite

[sarahd]

Kyla licks as well...I try to tell her to knock it off after one or two swipes...I already showered, I don't need a doggy bath thank you! lol Its not as bad as biting but its annoying when you have guests...not everyone thinks its cute even if you do. JMO

[gomer9855]

FOr sure. Jeremy and I are used to it, and she's learned not to lick us AS MUCH. (I yell OW! when she does. It works. ) But friends and family, lick lick lick lick lick. Tell her stop and she gets on last swipe in and licks that air around them. Or licks their pants. It's a compulsion I guess. Oh well, could be worse.